URINARY SYSTEM
The urinary system consists of the paired kidneys and ureters, the bladder, and the urethra.
1. KIDNEYS
The parenchyma of each kidney has:
• an outer renal cortex, a darker stained region with many round corpuscles and tubule cross sections, and
• an inner renal medulla consisting mostly of aligned linear tubules and ducts.
- the renal medulla in humans consists of 8-15 conical structures called renal pyramids, all with their bases meeting the
cortex (at the corticomedullary junction) and separated from each other by extensions of the cortex called renal columns.
- each pyramid plus the cortical tissue at its base and extending along its sides constitutes a renal lobe.
- parallel ducts and tubules extending from the medulla into the cortex comprise the medullary rays;
- the tip of each pyramid, called the renal papilla, projects into a minor calyx that collects urine formed by tubules in one
renal lobe (Figure 19–1).
394 CHAPTER 19 ■ The Urinary System
FIGURE 19–1 Kidney.
Renal cortex
Renal medulla
Renal column Minor calyx
Renal pyramid Major calyx
Renal pelvis
Renal artery
Corticomedullary junction
Renal vein
Renal papilla
Renal lobe
Ureter
Fibrous capsule
Each kidney is bean-shaped, with a concave hilum where the Attached to each minor calyx is a renal pyramid, a conical
ureter and the renal artery and vein enter. The ureter divides region of medulla delimited by extensions of cortex. The cortex
and subdivides into several major and minor calyces, around and hilum are covered with a fibrous capsule.
which is located the renal sinus containing adipose tissue.
Connecting tubules from several nephrons merge to form these arteries branch further as the interlobar arteries,
collecting tubules that then merge as larger collecting which extend between the renal pyramids toward the cor-
ducts. These converge in the renal papilla, where they deliver ticomedullary junction (Figure 19–3). Here the interlobar
urine to a minor calyx. Cortical nephrons are located almost arteries divide again to form the arcuate arteries that run
completely in the cortex while juxtamedullary nephrons in an arc along this junction at the base of each renal pyra-
Kidneys each contain 1-4 million functional units(parenchyma) called nephrons or uriniferous tubules (Figure 19–2).
The major divisions of each nephron are:
• Renal corpuscle, an initial dilated part enclosing a tuft of capillary loops and the site of blood filtration;
always located in the cortex;
• Proximal tubule, a long convoluted part, located entirely in the cortex, with a shorter straight part that enters the medulla;
• Loop of Henle (or nephron loop), in the medulla, with a thin descending and a thin ascending limb; and
• Distal tubule, consisting of a thick straight part ascending from the loop of Henle back into the cortex and a convoluted part
• completely in the cortex. Renal Function: Filtration, Secretion, & Reabsorption 395
*The collecting tubule is not part of the nephron.
FIGURE 19–2 A nephron and its parts.
C H A P T E R
Macula
densa
1 9
The Urinary System ■ Renal Function: Filtration, Secretion, & Reabsorption
Connecting
tubule
Proximal
Glomerulus convoluted tubule
Glomerular
Renal capsule:
Distal convoluted
corpuscle Visceral layer tubule
Parietal layer
Capsular space Loop of Henle:
Proximal
Cortex straight tubule
Renal
tubule
Thin
descending limb
Medulla
Thin
ascending limb
Connecting tubules
Thick
ascending limb
Collecting duct
Each kidney contains 1-4 million functional units called nephrons. a straight tubule that reenters the cortex and ends at its thickened
Each nephron originates in the cortex, at the renal corpuscle macula densa area where it contacts the arterioles entering the
surrounding a small tuft of glomerular capillaries. Extending from glomerulus. Beyond the macula densa this tubule is the distal
the corpuscle is the long proximal convoluted tubule which convoluted tubule, the end of which is the short connecting
leads to the short proximal straight tubule that enters the outer tubule. Connecting tubules from many nephrons merge into cor-
medulla. This tubule continues as the thin descending limb and tical collecting tubules and a collecting duct that transports urine
the thin ascending limb of the nephron’s loop of Henle in the to the calyx.
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CHAPTER 16 — Urinary System 359
10 Subcapsular
⎧ 1 Renal convoluted tubules
⎪ capsule
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪ 2 Glomeruli 11 Proximal
⎪ convoluted tubules
⎪
⎪ 3 Medullary
⎪ rays
⎪ 12 Interlobular artery
Cortex
⎨
⎪
⎪ 13 Interlobular vein
⎪
⎪
⎪ 4 Proximal
⎪
⎪ convoluted
⎪ tubules
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎩ 14 Arcuate artery
and vein
⎧ 5 Base of
⎪ pyramid
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪ 6 Collecting
⎪ ducts
⎪
⎪
Medulla
⎨
⎪
⎪ 15 Adipose and
⎪ connective tissue
⎪ 7 Renal of renal sinus
⎪ papilla
⎪
⎪ 16 Minor calyx and
transitional
⎪ 8 Columnar epithelium
⎪ epithelium
⎪ 17 Interlobar artery
⎪
⎩
18 Interlobar vein
⎧
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎨
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎩
9 Area cribrosa
FIGURE 16.1 Kidney: cortex, medulla, pyramid, and renal papilla (panoramic view). Stain: hematoxylin
and eosin. Low magnification.
The renal corpuscle consists of a tuft of capillaries, called the glomerulus, surrounded by a double layer of epithelial cells, called
the glomerular (Bowman’s) capsule. The inner or visceral layer of the capsule consists of unique and highly modified branching
epithelial cells, called podocytes. The podocytes are adjacent to and completely invest the glomerular capillaries.
The outer or parietal layer of the glomerular capsule consists of simple squamous epithelium.
2. URETER and URINARY BLADDER
The mucosa of these organs is lined by the uniquely stratified urothelium or transitional epithelium
Cells of this epithelium are organized as three layers:
• A single layer of small basal cells resting on a very thin basement membrane;
• An intermediate region containing from one to several layers of cuboidal or low columnar cells; and
• A superficial layer of large bulbous or elliptical umbrella cells, sometimes binucleated, which are highly differentiated to
protect the underlying cells against the potentially cytotoxic effects of hypertonic urine.
The bladder’s lamina propria and dense irregular connective tissue of the submucosa are highly vascularized. The bladder in an
average adult can hold 400-600 mL of urine, with the urge to empty appearing at about 150-200 mL. The muscularis consists of three
poorly delineated layers, collectively called the detrusor muscle, which contract to empty the bladder this consists of three muscular
layers.
The thick muscularis of the ureters moves urine toward the bladder by peristaltic contractions and produces prominent mucosal
folds when the lumen is empty.
Ureters, Bladder, & Urethra 409
FIGURE 19–16 Ureters.
C H A P T E R
Mucosa
Lamina Transitional
propria epithelium
1 9
M
The Urinary System ■ Ureters, Bladder, & Urethra
A
Mucosa
Muscularis
Mu
Lumen
Adventitia
(a) Ureter cross section (b)
(a) Diagram of a ureter in cross section shows a characteristic to the potentially deleterious effects of contact with hyper-
pattern of longitudinally folded mucosa, surrounded by a thick tonic urine.
muscularis that moves urine by regular waves of peristalsis. (b) Histologically the muscularis (Mu) is much thicker than the
The lamina propria is lined by a unique stratified epithelium mucosa (M) and adventitia (A). (X18; H&E)
called transitional epithelium or urothelium that is resistant
FIGURE 19–17 Bladder wall and urothelium.
LP
S
LP
S
IL
U
U
ML
OL
a A b c
(a) In the neck of the bladder, near the urethra, the wall shows (b) When the bladder is empty, the mucosa is highly folded and
four layers: the mucosa with urothelium (U) and lamina propria the urothelium (U) has bulbous umbrella cells. (X250; PSH)
(LP); the thin submucosa (S); inner, middle, and outer layers of (c) When the bladder is full, the mucosa is pulled smooth, the urothe-
smooth muscle (IL, ML, and OL); and the adventitia (A). (X15; H&E) lium (U) is thinner, and the umbrella cells are flatter. (X250; H&E)
References:
https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/704407/view/renal-corpuscle-illustration
https://www.physiologyweb.com/figures/physiology_image_TvKcIccyvFuiIvXAWDRXu5GuzkBK8RHt_renal_corpuscle.html
https://quizlet.com/288336248/urinary-bladder-histology-diagram/
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/307089268341285308/
Prepared By:
DR. F.M. TAN
